Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan have played in numerous NBA games, with Johnson having participated in 906 contests and started in 763 matchups. They faced each other 18 times in NBA games, with Jordan having a record of 7-6 versus Johnson in his career. In the 1991 NBA Finals, they were set to play each other for a pay-per-view event.
Magic Johnson averaged 18.6 points, 12.4 assists, and 8.0 rebounds in 5 games versus Jordan in the NBA Finals in his career. This marked the beginning of the Michael Jordan era in the NBA. After being drafted in 1984, it took Jordan 7 seasons to reach and win his first NBA Finals with the Chicago Bulls.
Despite their differing playing styles, Magic held both Mike and Larry Bird in high regard. The opportunity to share the stats of Magic Johnson and Jordan was a significant moment in their careers.
In terms of awards, honors, championships, playoff and regular season stats, Magic Johnson averaged 18.6 points, 12.4 assists, and 8.0 rebounds in 5 games versus Jordan in the NBA Finals. This marked the beginning of the Michael Jordan era in the NBA.
📹 Magic Johnson vs Michael Jordan LEGENDARY Game 5 Duel Highlights (1991 NBA Finals) – FACE TO FACE!
Michael Jordan 30 Pts 10 ast vs Magic Johnson 16 Pts 11 Reb 20 Ast Triple-Double Full Game Highlights | Los Angeles Lakers vs …
📹 Michael Jordan texted Stephen A. that Magic Johnson is the PG over Steph Curry 👀 | First Take
Michael Jordan texted Stephen A. that Magic Johnson is the PG over Steph Curry | First Take Stephen A. Smith and Chris “Mad …
That 1991 Bulls team has one of the best defensive teams ever!!You look at old footage, you see how fast they recover. How they close up openings. Michael and Scottie jumping in and out of passing lanes. I know this is a different age, but I think they would very effective today just as much as they were then even with the 3 point shooting.
As a Laker fan, this was the most disappointing Finals for me because this Lakers team was hurt and far from what the 80s Showtime Lakers were. There was no more: Pat Riley, Kareem, Michael Cooper, Jamal Wilkes, and Bob MacAdoo. Worthy was hurt and only himself in game 1 with 33 points; he missed games 2 and 5, I believe. Byron Scott was hurt and sucked in this series. Magic had little help against a young, athletic, and hungry Bulls team.
Cool Stuff. I saw at least 4 moves from Jordan that I’ve never seen anyone come close to making it look as easy and smooth as him. Magic was coming up on 32 years of age and Jordan was at that prime age of “28”. Magic’s mental game was as sharp as Jordan’s. Wish we could watch another combo like Jordan and Pippen.
God dang it MJ was hungry for that chip. I remember everyone thought the lakers were going to beat them and then it was over in the blink of an eye, 4-1. Beginning of the end for the rest of the league throughout the 90s…the best decade for hoops and hip hop. Despite all the craziness what a time it was indeed. My formative years.
Magic is one of the guys that is capable of taking MJ on in a one-one battle. He basically controls the offence for the Lakers. His passes are legendary and he is also capable of turning into a deadly scorer if needed to. Even MJ have to respect him as Magic style of play outplayed Jordan at times and made MJ change tactics, forcing MJ to play like him, becoming a passer of the ball which is not MJ’s style.
That was an awesome moment in sports. I had been a Jordan fan since day one, perusal every game, every year on Chicago Sports website. All my relatives were Knicks fans who told me Jordan wasn’t going to win a title but that didn’t hold up. perusal Jordan and his Bulls teams was great at the time but a privilege now. In 2021 Jordan is still talked about far more than any current player and it doesn’t surprise me one bit. I don’t think there will ever be a player like Jordan again because it had to happen at the right time and that time is gone. Great players will come and go as they have but people are still wearing Jordan’s on their feet not those guy’s shoes and Jordan has been retired for how long? If a guy came along scoring 50 a night he would never be a big a star as Jordan.
The Bulls of the 90’s were just an absolute juggernaut. That said this Laker team although at the end of their brilliant 80’s run were terrific in the playoffs leading up to this finals but the Bulls were heavily favored and for good reason. They were younger, faster, had more depth and the best two players in the league (Horace Grant was no slouch either). Game one of the series really shocked me when the Lakers won and for a moment thought they might have a chance but then the Bulls pretty much took over. Game 5 was a great game all things considered and Magic couldn’t have been asked to do any more than he did with what he had.
Jordan is the best I remember. perusal this and remember all the haters and sports anchors saying Jordan would never win a ring well he proved then wrong and won 5 more after. His first one to get 6. And if he did nit retire two times in his prime your talking 9 plus. Rings 10 and 11 if he really wanted to I think he could of win more than bill because they eoulf of won in 94 they eoulf of 4 peated and 5 peated and 6 and 7 and 8 would of been in 98 and if they would of comeback in 99 come on they would if beat the spurs and I think they would of beat the Lakers in 00 Phil would of been in Chicago there would no triangle offensive in LA. So the bulls would of did something legendary there
Had to remind myself what actual basketball games should look like. Intensity and competition no matter who is on the team. Defense was all over Jordan and still made no difference. I can’t believe how Lebron fans can just be so delusional when they see this article. Lebron is a great player but place Michael Jordan in today’s Era at his prime.. the games are fucking over before it even began. Nobody is going to stop this guy from averaging 50+ games all day everyday long.. he would consider the games as basketball practice and score with ease.
😮But, I thought only Scottie guarded Magic after game 1??? You mean to tell me that that was never the case and only gets brought up by people that never actually watched the series and are looking to knock Michael’s defensive compared to Scottie’s? WHAT??? Next thing you’re gonna tell me that Jordan was actually a competent player before Scottie joined the team. But that’s impossible, he was 1-9 in the playoffs before Scottie joined the Bulls. Ignoring all context that means he desperately needed Scottie’s 7 points to do anything in the Post-season, right? /s
Mike was absolutely larger than life. But in every game, he gave 100%. He was never above ANY game: preseason through the Finals. Through bad contracts, injuries…the guy rarely took off and never gave it his all. I remember perusal this game, losing my mind lol. He’s been great but this solidified it. Chicago was the place to be in the 90’s.
If Magic had gotten another hall of fame center, he’d have given Jordan a run for his money the next go-around. They needed one more threat on the floor. What’s crazy is that if Johnson hadn’t needed to retire because of HIV, it’s very possible he would have played with both Shaq and Kobe in his last four years. He’s have been 37, 38, 39, and 40, but Kareem won at those ages. It would have been a complete reverse, young center, old point guard. If that had happened, Jordan might not have won as many rings. Shaq either needed to get a few years older or have an experienced vet running the floor for him, and Johnson would have been it. When Johnson came back at 36, he only played 32 games, but he was already racking up 15 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 6.9 APG in just 29 minutes on the floor. Imagine passing to a 24, 25, and 26 YO Shaquille O’Neal instead of Divac. 99/00 would have been Johnson’s last year, and Kobe came into his own that year. Would have been an intimidating sight.
If Worthy (21.4 ppg) hadn’t severely sprained his ankle in the WCF and Scott (14.5 ppg) scored with confidence like he normally did, the Lakers had a great chance to win. Both players were in their primes and combined for 35.9 points per game in 1991. Worthy’s ankle only got worse in the Finals where he couldn’t even walk and Scott simply played like he was intimidated despite his experience of playing in four previous NBA Finals. The Lakers bench did a great job but they couldn’t make up for Worthy and Scott’s offensive scoring. Other than game 2, the Lakers were competitive in four of the five games. The Lakers win in game 1 wasn’t a fluke, they played to their strength but after losing Worthy and Scott the team went down hill after that game.
I will always respect Jordan, the bulls and the title’s. But this is why I have never and will never wear Jordans shoes. As a kid my soul was crushed here because my heros were the Showtime Lakers and especially Magic Johnson. This is where the game changed for sure and I respect it 100%. But I am a loyal Lakers fan and only wear Kobes. It was a great series and part of my life to witness. But never will I ever wear Jordan shoes. I’m still a stubborn kid who loves the Lakers. 💜💛💜💛💜💛
Looked like the Lakers could have won if James Worthy had played, guess he was what Scottie Pippen was to Michael Jordan, didn’t Jordan win defensive player of the year twice, or something by like that?, NBC, national Basketball website!, Best overall coverage of the NBA, who could forget that opening theme?, sometimes ( think I mentioned before), they’d have triple headers on Sunday’s. Now, you have to have cable or, satellite TV to catch most of it.
I am not a big fan of basketball, but of course I have seen some basketball in my life and I do know some of the greats of the sport. Like Bird, Pippen, Kobe, Malone etc etc. And of course M.Jordan and Magic Johnson. I guess I know players from the 90’s to now. In hockey Wayne Gretzky is for most of us hockeyfans the greatest of all time, but some (and they are many) would say that Mario Lemieux is the best of all time. So the question is, who is the greatest of all time in basketball? Is there the same discussion whos the greatest, or is Jordan the undistuped GOAT in basketball? (Sorry if I wrote something wrong, english is not my 1st language)
That game was loss by the Lakers front court. As difficult as Pippen made it for Magic to bring the ball up court it was The laker front court that was lacking. Campbell and Divac could score but defensively they were consistently out of position, especially Divac. I remember Magic just going off on both of them throughout the series.
People who watch basketball today, need to go back and watch this type of stuff. No one has ever had the court vision that magic had. There’s been people close. But he was untouchable when it came to court vision. And Jordan and Pippen, unbeatable duo in their prime. No two players in NBA history could be combined and beat those two. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’ve watched a lot basketball since about 83 and that’s my thoughts.
exactly possessions were higher in the 80s and 90s niggas players could rely solely on insane athleticism back that’s why when players with skill come along (MJ, Bird, Magic, Kareem, ect) they looked like nothing we’ve seen kinda like dirk with his 3pt or Reggie miller but now nearly every team has a great value Reggie miller, dirk, mj, magic and bird player (guys like Kareem and wilt are still pretty special tho)
Magic was MVP this season, and then had to retire before the 91-92 season because of the HIV situation. What a shame, can you think of another player that had an MVP season and then retired? There would have been at least a couple more Bulls-Lakers Finals, would have been great to see the two MJs play against each other some more.
If those Bulls teams with MJ in his prime had been able to play the Lakers with Magic in his prime when the Lakers had Kareem, Worthy, Cooper, Scott, McAdoo, Wilkes, and Rambis, the Lakers would have won in a sweep. Kareem would have averaged 30 and 15. Who on the Bulls could have guarded him? No one. MJ and Scottie gives the Bulls the advantage over Magic, Scott and Cooper, but it’s outweighed by the huge advantage the Lakers big men would have had over the Bulls big men.
Great highlights.. no dirty fouls.. I still can’t understand how old heads say curry, k.d and LeBron would die in this era.. basketball is basketbal.. as a baller and someone that loves to watch basketball i see fouls/ dirty fouls as a compliment that the defender can’t guard you. The harder the foul the weaker the defender
Hubiera sido linda al menos una final mas entre magic y jordan…..siempre digo que el unico rival que lo hubiera podido enfrentar realmente era magic, todos los otros…..drexler,barcley,kemp,malone no estaban a su altura principalmente mental, magic te ganaba el partido con una sonrisa, los otros lo desafiaban que era lo peor que podias hacerle a jordan…..
I’m here perusal this in 2023 for affirmations that I’m not too young or stupid enough to believe that lebron James wouldn’t kill in this era 😭😭🤦🏾 how magic Johnson out a nigga in the post spin off to the lane but weirdo internet niggas saying bron could never … that’s real hate 😭😭😭😭🤦🏾💯 wow .. I’ll never debate ball again watch
He took down last of the greatest before the great era even though he was the greatest among greats he took down la and detroit and boston got away thats why people be like he didnt beat boston he was what 12 playing against them if he got another chance to play them it would have been same results as la and detroit ass kicking
Too bad Rick Adelman was not smart enough to keep his starters in the game earlier in the series with a big lead. That allowed the Lakers to come back and win the series. Portland actually had the better team that year. Would have been nice to see them play Chicago that year, before Chicago won that championship and kept getting better.
The NBA is officiated different now compared to when Magic played. So comparing players of different times is hard. There was no restricted zone under the rim when Magic played. Hand checking was allowed and you could restrict the man cutting across the lane without the ball. There also were no flagrant fouls, so fouls to stop a layup could be pretty physical. Also, the step back we see now would have been a travel, and people today get away with palming or a carry that would have been a violation in the past.
In 1999, I played against Magic Johnson on the island of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands in a game of volley ball at Sapphire Beach. I’m 6’7 & always kept myself FIT. With that being said, Magic & his team utterly destroyed our team…11-Zip. His competitiveness was off the charts. And he was very nice, funny & super cool about it. Lol. Stand up guy all around. And His Airness aka MJ is for sure Correct.
As a Steph fan, I really appreciated MJ’s approach. Made his case for Magic without dogging out Steph—paid respect to both guys while making his point clear. I personally have Magic at 1A and Steph at 1B all-time at the PG position, but I won’t knock Steph’s confidence, and I believe that he’s using all of this as motivation for ring #5 💪🏾
Magic won FMVP because he played dual role in g6. A point guard n a center at the same time. Imagine a rookie with such confidence shooting a “skyhook” to win the game n eventually the championship. That was his way of saying “thank you Kareem it’s all because of you!” He gave KAJ his flowers on a live game…. Magic best PG all time!
So much of what Johnson does is trackable by stats. His rebounding, his passing (assists), his scoring. He was incredible, and the stats back that up. So much of what Curry does is not trackable by stats, though. As Stephen A. said, just his presence on the floor is enough to create more space for his teammates to do better. He’s a black hole. We’ve never seen a player defended like how most teams defend Curry, and that more than anything else has led to Golden State’s success. I’m not ready to definitively choose between them. Just saying that Curry’s impact is insanely underrated.
If Curry plays with a true PG like Zeke, Magic, AI etc he automatically has to become a SG (shooting guard) which imo is his true position if he played back in those days, even in the 2000s. Curry is a SG with point guard abilities which at this point everyone in the NBA from Centers to forwards, well the top guys mostly, have point guard abilities. And thank MJ for mentioning Zeke which pisses me off when noone mentions him as one of the top point guards of all time.
tbh Steph is actually a shooting guard in a PG position. The funny thing is that Draymond is the one that moves the ball around the most on the team and mostly does the facilitating for the past few years as a Power Forward surprisingly. Steph used to facilitate more pre-2015 by racking up more assists.
Magic is criminally underrated. Go back and watch that All star game he came back to play after he left basketball. It’s too bad he got sick and robbed of the end of his career, he really could have padded that assist record. Definitely goat point guard, and one of the best competitors and clutch players 💯
En cuánto a es reportaje mi opinión es que Magic está entre los primeros 5 jugadores de todos los tiempos de la NBA. Es un jugador completó en la cancha. Llegó a jugar la posición de centró cuándo se lesionó Karim y lo hizo muy bien 👍 👏. Una pena que su carrera deportiva se vio interrumpida. Estoy seguro que si la carrera no se hubiese interrumpida, íbamos a ver mucho más de él cómo jugador. Mucha salud para ese gran jugador.
Also remember as far as shooting, imagine reggie miller, john stockton, ray allen, steve kerr, steve nash, jeff horncaek, mark price, chris mullin, all played in this era and were taking the same amount of three pointers as steph curry and focussed their game on the three just as much. I think the curry conversations would be very different. The fact is they just never shot as many threes back then you really cant compare the eras as far as shooting is concerned
So Is the Point guard position not allowed to evolve as the game of basketball has ? I understand that magic had a pass first mentality and that elevated his teams . But Point Guards in this era are scorers who can pass jus as good . I think magic is the best PG ever but score first PGs need to be accepted
I am not surprised that MJ picked Magic based on the real definition of a PG. As flashy and amazing as Jordan was, he played like a true SG. And remember in 1989 when Doug Collins experimented and put him at the point? He changed his game to adapt to this new role. In 11 games at this position, he averaged a triple double (10 triple doubles out of 11). On another note, I always found it interesting that MJ averaged 11.4 assists in the 1991 Finals. It is very out of character for him. Maybe because it was his way of competing with Magic at what he did best lol .. Even though Magic ended up averaging more at 12 assists in that series.
It’s really not a slight to Curry at all either. Steph impacts the game with his shooting like no one else ever has. But Magic was the best ever at running the fast break and the half court offense as a facilitator, and he could also score 40 anytime he wanted and play any position. Magic is a top five player in the history of basketball. Steph to me is just knocking on the door of the top ten.
There is more talent in the league right now than ever. They will blow you out of the game if you’re not scoring each possession and even if you do, if you’re not hitting threes guys will put you to sleep. I’ve seen the Warriors playing bad and struggling to keep themselves in the game, and then the third quarter comes and Steph gets hot for 3 minutes and that’s it, game over.
I totally agree that Magic Johnson is the Greatest Point Guard of All Time. It was a Beauty to behold “The Show Time Lakers.” They was putting up a 121 to 135 points without the rule changes. Can you image how many points “The Show Time Lakers” would put up today with the rules changes. Because of Magic Johnson size, he could also defend all 5 positions. They dont give Magic Johnson his due respect.
Grew up in L.A. during the 80’s perusal Magic, I agree with him as #1 PG. Steph has averaged 25-32 pts a game the past 7 years. Like MJ said, from a definition standpoint, I categorized Steph functionally as a scorer-shooter, not a true playmaking PG. A close second to Magic in my opinion only, is John Stockton. His assist-steals records, both hallmarks of a true point guard, will never remotely be broken. Lastly, you’ll be farfetched to find a playmaking point guard like him who averaged anywhere near the 51% FG shooting % for his career.
Magic has also played every position and we forget that a point guard is to make other players better ..we have seen Magic and how he distributes the ball. Curry main weapon is to shoot first and pass maybe last. I’m definitely taking Magic over Steph and honorable mentions to John Stockton who also was a great point guard.
If you include hockey assists, Curry is one of the top 5 offensive playmakers of all time. No one inverts the defense and spaces the floor like Steph. Steph gets his teammates easy baskets with his gravity. His teammates got way easier shots when Steph was on the floor. You don’t have to directly pass the ball to a teammate to get credit as a playmaker. Magic was great, but would Magic have won championships with the 2015 and 2022 Warriors? Steph would’ve definitely won with Magic’s teammates. 🤷🏾♂️🤷🏾♂️
Both are incredible playes. Curry is more of a lead guard though, and as Mad Dog (and MJ) said, scoring is how he impacted the game. I think as a scoring guard, Curry is one of the best. As a Point Guard though, Magic was clearly superior in dissecting defenses, and getting other guys involved. You could easily argue that John Stockton was better than Curry, too. Curry is a different player–I think of him as more of a shooting guard who happens to be a very good passer.
Steph is a terrific, outstanding, revolutionary player. A player of this era and the definition of it IMHO. To me, the best shooter the game saw. I think he’d have been outstanding in any era. Really do. But Magic’s a different breed and it isn’t even close. I said all that because that’s just how great Magic was and it’s NO slight to Curry.
All good with the stadistics and all the stuff but he did one bad step which was say… ”Steph Curry is not Magic Johnson” that was not an answer to put into an stadistic discussion like is he pretending to say that Steph has to be Magic Johnson to be better PG than him or something? 😂 I don’t understand it.
Imagine being an analyst and saying Curry doesn’t impact the game if he doesn’t score, or he can’t be mentioned in the same breath. Or no one can run a fast break like Magic when Jason Kidd exists. This is taking a lack of abstract thinking to a new level. I got Magic myself but he and Curry are literally 1 and 2, thus the debate.
The only one who could say “I was close to compete” with Magic was, for me, Jason Kidd, incredible in transition… Look at the early 2000’s nets and you’ll find somehow a Magic flavor in what he did (with much less talented teammates !!!!!). And this might not be a coincidence that both have tremendous triple doubles numbers, etc etc. Curry is different animal, and plays as a modern PG, shooting the ball, creating space for others in a different manner. We will probably be more accurate to compare some years after Steph retirement.
Chef Curry is a shooting guard from my perspective. He doesn’t set up the offense for his team, he runs off screens and looks for a shot or puts it on the floor and creates for his teammates. He’s the greatest shooter EVER, no doubt!! But Magic was a “point God” that created, utilized his height to post up and remember, played every position in winning his 1st RING.. Not knocking Chef Curry at all, but he’s not looked at as a true Point Guard…
Magic could have put up 30 a game…he was the tallest PG in the league his entire career and could easily have been a score first guy, but his nature was to pass…he made the assist a sexy stat…and OBTW, he was a tremendous all around basketball player…there’s no discussion, Magic is and will be for a long time, the greatest PG….EVER!!!
Basketball is a game ! The court, rim, and ball are all still the same size. Magic at 6’9″ would give you 15 rebounds, 15 assist, and 20 pts, with a couple of steals ! Leading the break with a smile. 👍 What I get from Steph is probably 30pts, 5 rebs., and maybe 5 assist, and a couple of steals. Steph in today’s league would give me 8 3pt shots on 16 attempts ! Magic would only attempt maybe 2 3pt shots a game, because at 6’9″ he’s attacking the rim on penetration. No right or wrong, just a matter of who you like, team make up, and style.🏀
First of all, the question itself is incorrect because basketball is a team sport. The idea of distinguishing positions is a very rigid concept. If there were an ideal basketball player who excelled at everything, having five of them on a team would make that team the strongest. In other words, there would be no need to distinguish positions. Therefore, as basketball evolves, it is moving away from being constrained by positions. So, defining a position like a point guard in the language and thinking in such terms is a rigid concept, which is why the question itself is flawed. What Stephen A. Smith is trying to convey is that Stephen Curry is superior or an ideal player for the team sport of basketball, surpassing Magic Johnson. In simple terms, he is better at basketball. Most team sports, including basketball, have evolved and progressed in all areas, including tactics, to win games. That’s why modern basketball teams would overwhelmingly defeat past teams that played best of 7 series. Therefore, if you ask who is better at basketball, the answer can only be that Stephen Curry, who changed the tactical paradigm of modern basketball, is better than Magic Johnson. It’s because he plays in a way that allows his team to win. Holding the ball for a long time, as traditional point guards did in the past, is not a winning strategy in modern basketball. This is because multiple players efficiently sharing the ball to score is the most effective way. Stephen Curry understands this. In other words, Stephen Curry’s basketball IQ is higher than many other players.
By this definition LeBron should be known as a PG. Positions in basketball are pointless in today’s game, someone like Steph and someone like Magic should not be in the same group. Magic belongs in the LeBron group. Steph belongs in the scorer’s group with Allen Iverson, Kobe and MJ. But since that’s not the case and we only rank based on what position they’re listed as on paper, then yes Steph does belong in the same conversation with Magic and you can make a solid argument for both of them being the best ever. Positions are dumb. They’re already getting rid of them in the all star game by making it just frontcourt and backcourt instead of the actual 5 positions like it used to be. There should just be 2 Front court, 2 back court and 1 facilitator. Sorry old heads, that’s how it is today.
I’m shocked that no one’s taken a deeper dive into Magics first finals appearance when Kareem got injured. MAGic stepped in to start at Center, played EVERY POSITION Scored 42 points (with 15 rbs and 8 asts) magic didn’t need to focus on scoring during his time. But imagine if he did though? Could’ve easily put magic in that G.O.A.T conversation for sure, hands down Magic is the greatest point guard ever no matter how you go with it? The resume is set in stone
Thanks M Jordan. Remember Magic was forced to retire in his prime. How many more rings would he have gotten? Where would he have put the assist record? There is no one in the history of the game that could improve his teammates like Magic and there never will be. Ever. He’s respected as one of the best ever but still EXTREMELY underrated on what he could do . Build a team around him over any other player ever. Including Jordan.
Curry vs magic Scoring: curry Finishing: magic Mid range: curry 3 point: curry Free throw: curry Handles:curry Passing: magic Playmaking: magic Iq: magic Slam dunks: magic Off ball movement: curry Effiency: curry Skill: curry Post scoring: magic Perimeter defense: magic Interior defense: magic Rebounding: magic Steals: magic Blocks: magic Athleticism: magic Strength: magic Speed: curry Clutch: curry Leadership: magic 1 on 1 moves: curry Impact: curry Who’s better
What’s up with today’s players. LeBron self-proclaimed himself the goat. Curry self-proclaimed he’s the best point guard ever. Calling yourself the best always looks bad. And If you have to say you are the GOAT… you’re not the GOAT. Shout out from Indonesia. MJ is the GOAT and Magic is the best PG Ever!!!
As far as a pure point guard these discussions are so disrespectful to John Stockton. He holds all of the major records a point guard should and nobody’s ever going to beat those records ever. 10 time Allstar. Assist leader 9 consecutive seasons. Single season assist leader. All time assist leader with 15,806 j.kidd #2 12,091. And stock holds the all-time steals record as well @ 3,265. I mean cmon.
Impact of a shooting guard that’s a killer on 3s. Hence the name 1 / One Guard / PG / POINTGUARD – the one who’s pointing/facilitating the plays – the focal “POINT” of the team or the floor general 2 / Two Guard / SG / Shooting Guard / Off Guard – the guard who’s often “SHOOTS” the ball and most often specializes on perimeter “SHOOTING” -the guard recognized as moving “OFF” the ball aka moving without the ball
Steph Curry isn’t a point guard, he’s a shooter. I also feel that Magic was exposed a little during that Finals with the Bulls when Scottie Pippen was guarding him the full length of the court. Magic couldn’t get the ball up the court quick enough to set of the l Lakers offense. Magic is still an all time great but the Bulls figured out how to get him out of his game.
Magic over Steph everyday and twice on sunday’s. Magic could also play any position on the floor, and did many times. Back then players had more of a complete game and didn’t focus so much on being good at just one thing. Today it’s ISO-THREE POINTER, ISO THREE POINTER. To me that’s actually kind of boring but hey, chicks dig the long ball.
Did he just say “scoring & movement without the ball.” Then we should add Allen “Bubba Chuck” Iverson to the equation. Just don’t make since a point guard is someone who handles the ball and control the temple of the offense by distributing the ball or creating his own opportunities to shoot the ball. This dude really played basketball in college. So I guess Magic didn’t have no impact. He single handedly won a championship by himself when Kareem went down and he had to play the 5.
Curry and Magic are my two favorite players ever. Curry is the greatest player 6’2” and under. Look at the heights of the top 20 all time players. Everybody is a lot bigger than Curry. Shortest other guy on the list is Jordon. A big prejudice against smaller players when making these lists. Best pure point guard ever: Magic Johnson. Most impactful point guard ever: tie between Magic and Steph.
20 year old Earvin Magic Johnson; 1980 Game 6 42 points 15 rebounds 7 assists 4 steals 14-14 free throw line. Went to Finals 9 of 11 years prior to hiv announcement. 5 championships. Lakers were undefeated in the playoffs when Magic announced HIV. Magic could have easily had 7-8-9 championships, but had to retire in his prime just before reaching the finals again. Another year they were undefeated in the playoffs but Magic, Worthy and Scott tore their hamstrings. Magic Johnson is the greatest basketball player of all-time.
I’m So Sorry But Stephen A IS WRONG ! He keeps saying the way curry plays is way more of how a pg position should be played… and curry keeps stating that also please both OUR WRONG IN SO MANY ASPECTS… But AGAIN IF IT WASN’T FOR BIRD AND MAGIC THERE WOULD’T BE A NBA TO PLAY IN .. END OF STORY NO MATTER HOW WELL ANY OF PLAYERS PLAY TODAY OR YESTERDAY OR IN THE FUTURE AGAIN NO NBA WITHOUT BIRD AND MAGIC .. IN FACT WHEN DAVID STERN FIRST BECAME THE COMMISSIONER HE GAVE AWAY TICKETS TO THE NBA FINAL THE NBA WAS FILLED W DRUGS AND FIGHTS AND GAMES ON TAPE DELAYED SHOWINGS …. THAT IS WAY THE GREAT DR. J PLAYED FOR THE ABA HE REFUSED THE NBA BECAUSE HOW PATHETIC IT REPRESENTED IT SELF TO THE PUBLIC.. Stephen A THINKS HE IS PREACHER FROM HIS PULPIT YELLING HIS COMMENTS BECAUSE THATS ALL HE EVER DOES HE NEEDS TO STEP ON DOWN CHURCH AS ENDED !!!!!!
I knew Stephen A U are totally jordan scripted media person. Jordan vs lebron GOAT Lebron better in everything except score and steals Steph curry better than magic except assists rebounds U people says magic is great reasons he is bigger than steph Then lebron bigger than jordan Magic assists better than steph Lebron assists better than jordan Conclusion:- Lebron is the GOAT,steph best PG ever.reasons. 1.lebron greatest driver of basketball 2.lebron greatest all-rounder of the basketball 3.lebron all time greatest scorer regular and playoffs lebron end this record 47000 points,playoffs 11000 points. 4.steph greatest shooter ever 5.steph by far scorer than magic U 90s media critics daily taking jordan scripted papers in debates,larry bird says 90s players jealous about today’s players he mention lebron and klay Thompson names.actually today players didn’t have a time to debates.they totally engaged 24×7 in the game of basketball.i know when lebron steph retired the world says these players are greatest.finally my top 25 periodly 1.lebron james 2.steph curry 3.kevin durant 4.shaq 5.tim dunkan 6.kobe 7.bird 8.jordan 9.magic 10.kareem 11.wilt 12 bill 13.giannis 14.kowhi leonard 15.dwane wade 16 scottie pippen 17.nikola jokic 18.james harden 19.oscar 20.hakeem 21.karl melone wrirte now I am busy stephen A if debate U vs me then the USA talking about me leaving U as a sports speak person.
They might technically both be called “point guards”, but Steph Curry and Magic Johnson are/were very different players in very different eras. To compare them at all is kind of pointless (pun intended). Moreover, it’s no surprise that MJ thinks Magic was better than Curry. Old players universally want to think that the best players were from THEIR era. It’s the “glory days” thing.
If you kinda know Jordan you know there may be truth in what he said, but you can GUARANTEE it is to help HIS legacy because he went THROUGH Magic for one of his rings! Remember, Jordan said (in Come Fly with Me I think) that HE felt robbed of the opportunity to beat Magic when he 1st retired in 91 for HIV!!!
Magic ALL DAY? Curry is in his 15th season. Magic played 13 years & and one year Magic was hurt. So thats 9 Finals in 12 Years! How he took that 90s team to the Finals with Sam Perkins & Vlade is remarkable. Magic playing 2 less years still beats Curry. 9 Finals Appearances in 13 Years. Besides Rondo & maybe Draymond in this era, I’ve never seen a guy that could dominate a game without scoring. I can’t label Curry better than Magic when he was scared to guard Kyrie in the Finals. The unanimous MVP was shook 💯! Magic didn’t run from the smoke. His right-hand man Isaiah would tell you. Kissed Isaiah on the cheek before the Finals & hit him with a clean shot on the other cheek.
Ummmm…WHO actually believes that MJ text this man at 5am? MJ who wont speak up on the GOAT debate…who wont speak up on political matters…who wont send a message regarding how he feels about his son and Scottie’s EX, just couldnt live with the idea of Steph saying HE thinks he is the goat pg? lol….curious timing too isnt it…right after Stephen A got called out by Lonzo about his “sources”?
2- 3 peats, 6 championships w/6 finals mvps, 2 Olympic gold medals, never have to go to game 7, undefeated in championship @ 6 and 0, ncaa championships, he has too many accolades to even list in a 500 word essay. And not to mention he’s the most clutch player ever……. the only thing LeBron has done that Jordan hasn’t is stayed in the NBA that long if Jordan would have stayed in that long there’s nobody could ever touch his records….. but most importantly, Jordan had no weakness in the game of basketball LeBron had a bunch. Not to mention nowadays you can’t even hang around in the paint and Jordan was slamming on the whole teams under the goal now it’s just a watered-down version of a bunch of three-point shots….so if his AIRNESS says its so…..ITS SO.
I’ve been saying for years that Steph was better than Magic ( and Magic is one of my fav) I’ve been saying for years that Steph is number 3 all time. Magic was drafted in a team with Kareem and Worthy (not his fault) Curry was drafted to one of the worst teams in decades and established a whole dynasty by changing the WHOLE sport during “allegedly” another’s guy era. 1 MJ 2 Kobe 3 Steph. ALL TIME.
MAGIC JOHNSON BEST PG In my opinion before i even heard this especially about Bob Cousy’s statement is that the #1 thing a PG needs to have is Play Making for your team. Curry not known for that. He can do that sure, but he’s not even as good as Jkidd or nash, let alone Magic. 2ndly need handles which Curry certainly has very well, but then assisting well, which Curry is also not very notable or great for. And 4th for a PG, i would shooting or scoring.
Erwin “Magic” Johnson is actually my GOAT he contributed to the basketball game in so many levels and I am sick of tired when people always came with the championship topics. There are so many players with rings in the NBA that nobody knows them because never were great, you don’t need to get a “ring” to be great, Stop worshipping people with rings and don’t disrespect the great basketball players sacrifices that give us so many wonderful games.
Stephen A. Smith, Chris Russo, and MJ need to be Clockwork Orange’d and forced to watch NBA games from the 80’s and 90’s to today’s game. Magic would be a 3 today— no shot, no defense against small quicker guards in a faster game, he would be Draymond with a great handle. Steph changed the game — offenses can score from anywhere and stretch the defense by positioning shooters at the three point line. Even with defenses double and triple team and sometimes quadruple teaming, Curry and future iterations of his type of player are NBA 3.0 compared to Magic in the 80’s. I give Magic his due for his time, but can’t stand all the hype for a player who couldn’t shoot and couldn’t defend guards. I will concede that his Finals game 6 performance against the Sixers was probably the greatest Finals performance ever given the circumstances of Kareem’s injury.
You guys describe a tradtional PG as a player who facilitates for his teammates but curry does that better than Magic… Sure he doesn’t pass as fancy as Magic, but he has the same court vision as Magic if not better. But y’all forget that the main reason why other golden state players are able to get MULTIPLE wide open shots, are BECAUSE of steph and his ability to draw all defense towards him. Is that not considered facilitatating for his teammates in a way? He also passes just as well as Magic. So he is basically doing two things. 1. Drawing Defense, thus allowing for wide open shots for his teammates (facilitating). 2. Simply playing as a tradition PG and helping teammates score. (Facilitating) While Magic only does the second option. Does this reason alone not make him the best PG? P.S. They should not be talking about height and rebound as that does not help in anyway in the PG conversation. Thats like me saying steph is the best PG solely because he is the best shooter to ever live 💀 Thank me Later after you’ve thought about it.